From Risk to Real-Time Monitoring: Protecting Marine Life During Racing
by Marine Mammal Advisory Group 16 Apr 10:43 BST
Humpback whale mother and calf seen off the coast of St. Maarten © Andre Dede Knol
In support of the 46th St Maarten Heineken Regatta, the Marine Mammal Advisory Group and JASCO Applied Sciences initiated marine acoustic monitoring to protect the fleet and local marine mammal population.
Based on recent sightings of humpback whales - including a mother and calf spotted in weeks leading up to the event - this additional precaution was taken on by the race organizers to reduce strike risk between the 100+ vessel fleet and marine life.
JASCO Applied Sciences conducted real-time Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM); first two days of pre-event monitoring with the St. Maarten Nature Foundation's research vessel and then onboard the Race Committee Finish Boat anchored off Simpson Bay for the duration of the event: March 5-8, 2026.
During this time, JASCO's custom software designed to detect marine mammal vocalizations provided potential signals for an onsite expert to review and provide alerts to race committee had species of concern been detected. Over the course of the monitoring, two confirmed detections of dolphin echolocations were observed.
"We heard something no one saw, demonstrating the value of acoustic monitoring," said Sam Denes, JASCO's bio acoustician engaged in monitoring onboard the Regatta Finish Boat. Despite the acoustic detections, no visual observations of the dolphins were made, showing the power of PAM to provide increased situational awareness of vocalizing animals.
“The result of this monitoring initiative was not just that ‘no large whales were detected’ – it was that knowing of recent presence of such an iconic local species, the St Maarten Heineken Regatta implemented best efforts for the protection of local biodiversity while educating event management and visiting sailing crews alike,” explained Damian Foxall, co-founder of the Marine Mammal Advisory Group (MMAG). “Having confirmed the absence of visual and acoustic signals in the event area of the humpback mother and calf, racing was able to proceed as planned ensuring the safety of participating vessels and an iconic local species.”
While a higher risk was detected due to frequent whale sightings around the island, the event was able to closely monitor the situation and risk in real time, resulting in a safer event for all.
“In-season situational awareness is absolutely necessary,” explained Laura Morse, marine biologist and Director of Strategic Programs at JASCO. Historical data is a great baseline for risk assessment, but marine mammal movements are significantly influenced by environmental conditions such as prey availability which are subject to change , recent or live data provide a more accurate picture.
The Marine Mammal Advisory Group works with race events, organizers, classes, sailors, tech providers and scientists to reduce marine mammal strike risk. The global cohort has established a series of guidelines and best practices to support sailing and recreational boating in marine megafauna risk mitigation. In December 2025, the Marine Mammal Advisory Group and World Sailing, the governing body of sailing, released the official Marine Megafauna in Sailing Guidelines as a strategic guide for the sport.
“Acoustic monitoring does not replace visual monitoring – it's a complement,” noted David Zeddies, Senior Researcher at JASCO. The Marine Mammal Advisory Group echoes this and encourages all sailors and marine events to follow the 6-pillar risk mitigation strategy outlined in the Guidelines, which includes a variety of technical and data-based solutions for events and boat owners.
Learn more about the Marine Mammal Advisory Group, free educational resources, and cohort members such as JASCO Applied Sciences on mmag.world